Scamming An Australian Tourist, Money Changer In Legian Bali Is Closed

LPM Legian Village, Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali, closing the money changer/PHOTO: LPM Legian

BADUNG - The head of the Community Empowerment Institute (LPM) of Legian Village, Kuta, Badung, Bali, I Wayan Puspa Negara confirmed that his party had sealed or closed money changers suspected of committing fraud to tourists from Australia.

"Yes, that's right. It happened two days ago, approximately (Insufficient amount of money) of IDR 2.2 million," said Puspa Negara, Thursday, July 14.

The incident occurred at a money changer on Jalan Padma Utara, Legian Village, Kuta District, Badung.

At that time, two tourists from Australia, a husband and wife couple exchanged a number of US dollars at a money changer at a price of 1 US dollar in exchange for around IDR 14.000. The tourist exchanged a total of 800 dollars.

However, after the exchange process and returning to the hotel, this Australian foreigner realized that the money given by the money changer owner did not match the rate. The shortage of money in exchange reached IDR 2.2 million.

"The guest found out when he counted himself, after he arrived at the hotel and the money was lacking. (They) did not receive a receipt, there should be a receipt," said Pusa Negara.

Feeling that the money was lacking, the tourist came back to the money changer to complain.

This case was also known to officers from the Linmas and LPM. As a strict sanction, the money changer was closed.

"It was closed and we had pulled the electricity out at that time, immediately closed. This means that the business in question is blacklisted in Legian Village, it cannot enter again," he said.

In addition, the money changer has submitted a shortage of money in exchange for US dollars.

"Tourists made peace because their money was returned. I was forced to cut off the electricity for a shock effect for them. Because our authority is limited, these are the Satpol PP, the police, and BI and the Association of Foreign Exchange Traders (APVA)," he said.

Puspa Negara said it asked Bank Indonesia (BI) Bali and APVA to go down to Legian, Kuta to close illegal money changers that harm tourists.

"We ask BI and APVA to go down to Legian immediately. Our first hope is to ask BI and APVA to seal the illegal money changer business that doesn't have a permit," he said.